Universal mixture maker

Abstract

A volumetric instrument serving as a universal mixture maker. The instrument comprises fixed-shape solute cups that can be submerged in and fastened to solvent containers. The design allows a human operator to run an iterative method which finds a solution to a set of multivariate equations that would otherwise require situation-specific analytical calculations and the use of weighing scales. The iterative method can solve for one or more variables including solute volume, solvent volume, final mixture volume, and final solute concentration level. Cups and containers act as a mechanical calculator with a single parameter for the operator to manually adjust: how much of a solute cup to submerge in a solvent container. The mechanical calculator reduces mixture equations down to two markings for the operator to visually align: an output mixture marking on a cup, and a volumetric marking on a container.

I claim: 
     
       1. A mixture maker for mixing a solvent with one or more solutes to create a resultant mixture, comprising:
 a solvent container for receiving said solvent; 
 said solvent container comprising one or more sidewalls, and a bottom portion; 
 one or more impermeable solute cups for receiving said solutes; 
 each said solute cup comprising one or more sidewalls, and a bottom portion; 
 each said solute cup being submersible in said solvent within said solvent container; 
 each said solute cup being provided with a retaining member; 
 each said retaining member being removably engaged to said solvent container, such that the position of said solute cup with respect to said solvent container can be continuously adjusted for different levels of submersion, and that said solute cup can be fastened to said solvent container at any said levels of submersion; 
 said solvent container providing a visual indication of the surface level of said solvent contained within; and 
 each said solute cup providing a visual indication of the surface level of said solute contained within. 
 
     
     
       2. The mixture maker of  claim 1  further comprising:
 said solvent container comprising a max fill line; and 
 at least one of said solute cups being submersible, adjustable and fastenable such that said bottom portion of said solute cup can be positioned within a substantial range between said max fill line and said bottom portion of said solvent container. 
 
     
     
       3. The mixture maker of  claim 1  further comprising:
 said solvent container providing volumetric indicia comprising a plurality of mixture markings. 
 
     
     
       4. The mixture maker of  claim 1  further comprising:
 At least one of said solute cups providing volumetric indicia comprising a plurality of solute markings. 
 
     
     
       5. The mixture maker of  claim 1  further comprising:
 said sidewalls and said bottom portion of said solvent container being substantially rigid and generally fixed-shape; and 
 said sidewalls and said bottom portion of said solute cups being substantially rigid and generally fixed-shape. 
 
     
     
       6. The mixture maker of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of said solute cups sharing a substantially similar design for providing said retaining member, such that one or more of said plurality of said solute cups can be submerged in said solvent and engaged to said solvent container, in an interchangeable and modular fashion. 
 
     
     
       7. The mixture maker of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a solvent inlet space being provided between said solvent container and at least one of said solute cups. 
 
     
     
       8. The mixture maker of  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least one of said sidewalls of said solvent container being transparent such that said surface level of said solvent contained within can be visually sighted through said sidewall; and 
 at least one of said sidewalls of each said solute cup being transparent such that said surface level of said solute contained within can be visually sighted through said sidewall. 
 
     
     
       9. The mixture maker of  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least one of said solute cups providing said retaining member for fastening one of said sidewalls of said solute cup to one of said sidewalls of said solvent container, in the form of a clamp, a resilient clip, a T-slot, a T-slide, or similar, as an extended portion of said solute cup or as a removably engageable member. 
 
     
     
       10. The mixture maker of  claim 1  further comprising:
 said solvent container providing at least a pole projecting upward from said bottom portion of said solvent container; 
 at least one of said solute cups providing said retaining member in the form of a hollowed tube projecting upward from said bottom portion of said solute cup, for receiving one of said pole; and 
 each of said hollowed tube being provided with a fastening mechanism including by friction, by air pump, and by male-female threads. 
 
     
     
       11. The mixture maker of  claim 1  further comprising:
 each said solute cup providing one or more calibrated indicia columns; and 
 each said indicia column showing a plurality of calibrated markings. 
 
     
     
       12. The mixture maker of  claim 11  further comprising:
 each said indicia column showing an output concentration level; and 
 each of said calibrated markings of each said indicia column is calibrated to correspond to an output mixture marking. 
 
     
     
       13. The mixture maker of  claim 11  further comprising:
 each said indicia column showing said calibrated markings is provided as a customizable part which can be attached and removed from said solute cup. 
 
     
     
       14. The mixture maker of  claim 11  further comprising:
 each said indicia column being recognizable by an augmented reality app on a computing device such that when viewed through said augmented reality app said indicia column is displayed on said augmented reality app accompanied by virtual markings and labels including said calibrated markings. 
 
     
     
       15. The mixture maker of  claim 11  further comprising:
 said bottom portion of said solvent container being generally acute; 
 said sidewalls of said solvent container forming generally a cone; 
 said solvent container being provided with a flaring spout creating a solvent inlet space, and a threaded pole projecting upward from said bottom portion of said solvent container; 
 one of said solute cups being provided; 
 said bottom portion of said solute cup being generally acute; 
 said sidewalls of said solute cup forming generally a cone; and 
 said solute cup being provided with a hollowed and threaded tube projecting upward from said bottom portion of said solute cup, serving as said retaining member, for receiving said threaded pole. 
 
     
     
       16. The mixture maker of  claim 11  further comprising:
 said sidewalls of said solvent container forming a plurality of chambers each comprising a generally acute bottom portion, a generally conical sidewall, a flaring spout creating a solvent inlet space, and a threaded pole projecting upward from said bottom portion of said chamber; 
 said bottom portion of said solvent container forming generally a pipe connecting said chambers; 
 said bottom portion of each of said solute cups being generally acute; 
 said sidewalls of each of said solute cups forming generally a cone; and 
 each of said solute cups being provided with a hollowed and threaded tube projecting upward from said bottom portion of each of said solute cups, serving as said retaining member, for receiving said threaded pole of one of said chambers. 
 
     
     
       17. An iterative method for preparing a mixture at desired concentration levels, from a solvent and one or more solutes, with a fixed-shaped container and one or more fixed-shaped cups, without the use of weighing scales and analytic formulae, comprising the steps of:
 (a) adding a solute into one of one or more solute cups; 
 (b) remove a portion of said solute from said solute cup; 
 (c) adding a solvent into a solvent container; 
 (d) removing a portion of said solvent from said solvent container; 
 (e) submerging said solute cups in said solvent; 
 (f) adjusting submersion level of each said solute cup; 
 (g) fastening each said solute cup to said solvent container via a retaining member; and 
 (h) comparing the surface level of said solvent in said solvent container to the surface level of said solutes in said solute cups. 
 
     
     
       18. The iterative method recited in  claim 17  further comprising:
 assigning values to at least one or more variables including the volume of said solute in one of said solute cups, the volume of said solvent in said solvent container, the final volume of a mixture, and the concentration level of said solute in one of said solute cups; and 
 solving for one or more of said variables that are not assigned a value. 
 
     
     
       19. The iterative method recited in  claim 17  further comprising:
 producing a saturated solution from solid granules for use as one of said solutes. 
 
     
     
       20. The iterative method recited in  claim 17  wherein:
 at least one of said steps is aided by the use of an augmented reality app on a computing device.